Combined pusher ship and pushed vessel structure for sailing on open sea



Dec. 23, 1969 E. 1022A 3,435,200

COMBINED PUSHER SHIP AND PUSHED VESSEL STRUCTURE FOR SAILING ON OPEN SEA Filed July 24, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 23, 1969 s. IOZZA COMBINED PUSHER SHIP AND PUSHED VESSEL STRUCTURE FOR SAILING ON OPEN SEA 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 24, 1967 E. IOZZA Dec. 23, 1969 COMBINED PUSHER SHIP AND PUSHED VESSEL STRUCTURE FOR SAILING ON OPEN SEA 4, Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 24, 19"? Dec. 23, 1969 s. IQZZA 3,485,200

COMBINED PUSHER SHIP AND PUSHED VQZSSEL STRUCTURE FOR SAILING ON OPEN SEA Filed July 24, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 23 13 24 r 22 21 d2 L\ 1a 19 I I6 d United States Patent 3,485,200 ICOMBINED PUSHER SHIP AND PUSIED VESSEL STRUCTURE FOR SAILING ON OPEN SEA Emanuele Iozza, 38 Via Orsini, Genoa, Italy Filed lluly 24, 1967, Ser. No. 661,157

Claims priority, application Italy, July 26, 1966, 17,290/66; Oct. 26, 1966, 26,769/66; Jan. 31, 1967, 6,763/67; Feb. 24, 1967, 6,822/67; Apr. 12, 1967, 6,926/67; May 22, 1967, 7,027/67 Int. Cl. 1363b 21/62 US. Cl. 114235 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to merchant ships, including ore carriers and tankers, and more particularly it relates to a new combined ship structure, according to which one or more vessels may be detachably linked between them and to a pusher ship, by means of a mating elastic joint.

During the past years a number of significant technological developments have increased the transport efliciency of merchant ships. Cargo ships have grown continually in an attempt to cut costs.

However, the building of very large ships have imposed many problems, Canal locks and harbor water depths restrict the dimensions of the larger classes vessels.

It has been in the past therefore proposed to build pluri-sections ships, composed of a tow ship and one towed vessel, linked together by means of articulated nondetachable joints.

However, the presence of articulated linking joints gives origin to a number of problems, with relation to the maintenance of the course of the composite ship, to its maneuverability, and so on.

Accordingly, it forms the main object of the present invention to provide a new combined pusher ship and pushed vessel structure, comprising at least a pushed vessel linked to a pusher ship by means of a mating elastic joint.

It is accordingly a further object of the present invention to provide a mating elastic joint structure for accomplishing the main object of the invention.

According to a still further feature of the present invention, the said joint is made in the form of a detachable joint, thus permitting at will the detachment of the single vessels composing the combined ship, for easiness of transferring the cargo to several ports located in the same zone and other purposes, whilst permitting the reassembling of said vessels into the combined ship in a quick, yet efiicient manner.

As a further development, it is another object of the present invention to provide means for the recovery and the utilization of part of the energy transmitted to the said elastic joints by the waves motion acting on the combined ship structure.

Further objects and advantages of the combined ship structure according to the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, made with reference to the accompanying drawings showing by way 3,485,200 Patented Dec. 23, 1969 ice of nonlimiting examples, some preferred embodiments of the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURES l to 4 show the mode of joining a pusher ship and a pushed vessel, by means of the improved mating joint according to the invention.

FIGURES 5 to 8 show schematically some particulars of the improved joint according to the invention, and more particularly FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal section view through the bow of the pusher ship and the mating stern of the pushed vessel;

FIGURE 6 is a corresponding transversal section,

FIGURE 7 is a side view, corresponding to FIGURE 5,

FIGURE 8 is a top view corresponding to FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the joined bow of the pusher ship and the stern of the pushed vessel, and

FIGURES l0 and 11 show diagrammatically two energy recovery plants which may be used for the recovery of the energy transmitted to the elastic joints of the combined ship structure.

Having particularly regards to FIGURE 1, 1 is the pusher ship, and 2 is the pushed vessel of the composite ship structure according to the invention. As it will be noted, the pushed vessel is pushed from astern by the pusher ship 1. To this end, as best shown in FIGURES 5 to 9, the pushed vessel is formed with a substantially U- shaped stern, into which the bow of the pusher ship may be inserted, and firmly clamped by means of the improved joint according to the invention.

Having particularly regards to FIGURES 5 to 9 of the drawings, the how 101 of the pusher ship 1 is provided near its waterline on both sides with a cylindrical bearing 3, extending sidewise from the bow 101 with its axis at substantially right angles with the longitudinal center plane of the ship 1.

Sidewise from stern 102 of the pushed vessel 2 there are provided two rearwardly extending beams 302, the inner sides of which are sloping inwardly, so as to substantially match the bow contour of the pusher ship 1. The beams 302 are extended rearwardly from the stern of vessel 2 such a distance as to almost fully embrace the bow of ship 1.

On their lower sides, the beams 302 are each provided with a substantially semicircular recess 402 of such a diameter as to encompass with a substantial clearance the bearings 3. On the inner sides of recesses 402 of beams 302 a set of elastic cylinders 4 are secured, for the purposes which will be explained more particularly hereinafter.

To the rear end of beams 302 there is also secured a set of elastic cylinders 5.

On the after-deck of ship 2, between the fore ends of beams 302 a slide 6 is slidably mounted, for a to and fro movement along the after deck of ship 2 to and from the bow of ship 1. The slide 6 is guided laterally in its movement by beams 302, and is operated by a suitable hydraulic cylinder 107, which is fluid operated through suitable (not shown) means. The front end of slide 6, that is the end of slide 6 which is disposed abaft, is saddle-like shaped so as to match the shape of the stem of ship 1, and is provided with an elastic sleeve 7 secured to it by suitable (not shown) means.

The beams 3 are provided on their inwardly facing surfaces with recesses 502 into which are slidably mounted the sliding blocks 8, which are driven, for a to and fro movement toward the Sides of how of ship 1, by means of the hydraulic operated cylinders 9. The sliding blocks '8 are lined on their external surfaces with a cushion 108 of suitable elastic material.

The just described joint structure is completed by a pair of retractable stubs 10, which are slidably housed s0 as to extend sidewise from the bulkwarks of ship 1, at a distance from the bow of ship 1 so as to bear against the ends of beams 302. The movement of stubs 10 is controlled through hydraulic cylinders 110.

The operation of as just described joint is the follows:

At first, both the pusher ship and the pushed vessel, which have to be joined together by means of the improved joint according to the invention, are put into a down-by-the-bow trim, as shown in FIGURE 1. With the ships in such a trim, the pusher ship 1 is caused to advance with her bow between the beam 302 of the stern of ship 2, until the cylindrical bearings 3 of the bow of ship 1 come to rest beneath the recesses 402 of the beams '302 of the stern of ship 2. With the two ships 1 and 2 in the said mutual position, the trim of both ships is varied, until a down-by-the-stern trim is reached, as shown in FIGURE 3, thus transferring part of the weight of the pushed vessel to the pusher ship.

When the two ships are in the said mutual position, pressure fluid from a suitable source (not shown) is admitted into cylinders 107, 9, 110. Operation of cylinder 107 controls the movement of slide 6 toward the bow of ship 1, which movement is continued until the sleeve 7 bears against the stem of ship 1.

Operation of cylinders 9 controls movement of the sliding blocks 8 toward the sides of bow of ship 1, until bearing of the elastic cushions 108 secured to the head of said blocks 8 against the sides of how of ship 1. At completion of the above described operation of cylinders 107 and 9, both slide 6 and blocks 8 are firmly locked in place by securing it to the pushed vessel structure. Finally, operation of cylinders 110 controls the sidewise projection of stubs 10, just behind the ends of beams 302. The said stubs too are firmly secured to the pusher ship structure.

After completion of the just described operation of cylinders 110, 9 and 107, the ships 1 and 2 are again adjusted to their normal longitudinal trim, as best shown in FIGURE 4. As a consequence of the said readjustment operation, the stem of ship 1 will be firmly pressed against elastic sleeve 7, the elastic cylinders at the ends of beams 302 will bear firmly against stubs 10, and the elastic bearings lining the recesses 402 of beams 302 will firmly abut on bearings 3 carried by the bow of ship 1.

The two ships 1 and 2 will thus be firmly coupled, with the interposition of elastical bearing members 4, 5, 7 and 108, providing for a shock-free thrust transmission from pusher ship 1 to pushed vessel 2, whilst damping and absorbing any irregular longitudinal and/or transversal movement due to the wave motion which the combined ship structure may undergo.

For disassembling ships 1 and 2, the above described assembling steps are followed in the inverted order. As shown in FIGURES l to 4, the just described pushed vessel is preferably provided with sidewise extending vertical activating fins, acting as a servo-rudder for the achievement of the desired course of the combined ship.

Whilst it will be apparent that by using the above described joint great advantages are achieved over the prior art, according to the present invention the said advantages may also be increased =by recovering and utilizing part of the energy transmitted to the elastic joints by the waves motion acting on the combined ship structure.

To this end, according to a further embodiment of the invention, the said elastic members 4, 5, 7 and 108 are made in the form of hollow fluid tight elastic sleeves 11, each connected at one side through a suitable non-return inlet valve 12, to an air-inlet manifold 13 which is in turn connected to the wind scoop 14 (FIG. 10).

The said sleeves 11 are further connected through a suitable non-return outlet valve 15, an automatic throttle valve 16, a compressed air manifold 17 to the air-intake side of a compressed air reservoir 18, equipped with a safety valve 19. The air-outlet side of reservoir 18 is connected, through suitable pipings 20, with the interposition of a suitable pressure step down valve 20, to the combustion chamber 21 of a gas turbine 22. The exhaust gases from turbine 22, are exhausted to the atmosphere throuhg exhaust 23. 24 is a D.C. or AC. generator, which is driven by the turbine 22, thus producing electrical energy which is made available for the ships.

In FIGURE 11 a second embodiment of the energyrecovering plant according to the invention is shown. according to which the heat generated by the compression of air into sleeves 11 is utilized as source of available energy. To this end, reservoir 118 is in heat exchange relation with a suitable heat exchange circuit, comprising a primary heat exchanger 25, housed inside reservoir 118 and a secondary heat exchanger 26, placed outside reservoir 118, and connected to primary exchanger 25 by means of pipings 27, 28 is an accelerator pump. According to this second embodiment of the invention, the compressed air from sleeves 11 is circulated into a closed circuit, from resorvoir 118 again to inlet manifold 13 through pipers 29. 30 is a compensating valve, which compensates for leakages in the air circuit, by admitting fresh air in said circuit through wind scoop 14.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that a very eflicient method and apparatus have been devised for joining together a pusher ship and a pushed vessel, providing a shock-free thrust transmission from the pusher ship to the pushed vessel, whilst damping any relative motion between the two ships, and also providing for the recovery of part of the energy transmitted to the joint between the ships, which otherwise would unduly stress the joint.

I claim:

1. In a combined pusher ship and pushed vessel structure, comprising at least a pushed vessel, a substantially U-shaped structure including a pair of beams integral with, and extending rearwardly from the stern of said vessel, said beams each provided on their lower sides with substantially semicircular recesses, a pair of cylindrical bearings projecting sidewise from the bow of the pusher ship arranged to cooperate with the recesses on the beams carried at the stern of the pushed vessel so as to link said ship and vessel together, clamping members on the said U-shaped structure of the pushed vessel arranged to cooperate with the bow of the pusher ship for firmly clamping together the said nesting parts of the pusher ship and pushed vessel, and elastic stress-absorbing and equalizing members interposed between said recesses carried by the beams and the bow of the pusher ship.

2. A combined pusher ship and pushed vessel structure according to claim 1, further characterized by the feature that the inner sides of said beams are sloping inwardly, so as to match the bow contour of the pusher ship.

3. A combined pusher ship and pushed vessel structure according to claim 1, in which the said Clamping members comprise a damping member, slidably mounted on the stern of the pushed vessel; driving means operatively connected to said damping member for urging same toward the stem of the pusher ship; a pair of sliding damping blocks slidably housed inside the said U shaped structure of the pushed vessel; power means operatively connected to the said sliding blocks for urging same toward the sides of the bow of the pusher ship; a pair of thrust bearing stubs slidably housed on the pusher ship, and driving means connected to said stubs for causing said stubs to project outwardly from the bulkwarks of the pusher ship.

4. A combined ship structure according to claim 3, in which elastic cushions are interposed between said clamping members and the cooperating surfaces of the pusher ship and pushed vessel structures.

5. A combined ship structure according to claim 4, in which said elastic cushions are in the form of blocks of rubber-like material.

6. A combined ship structure according to claim 4, in which said elastic cushions are in the form of fluid tight, fluid filled sleeves.

7. In a combined ship structure according to claim 6, in which said fluid filled sleeves cooperate with means for the recovery of the energy transmitted to said fluid by the compression of said sleeves.

8. In a combined ship structure according to claim 7, in which said energy storing and recovering means comprise a compressed fluid reservoir.

9. A combined ship structure according to claim 6, in which said fluid is a compressible fluid.

10. A combined ship structure according to claim 9, in which said fluid is air.

11. In a combined pusher ship and pushed vessel structure, comprising at least a pushed vessel, a substantially U shaped structure integral with, and extending rearward- 1y from the stern of said vessel, a first joint member on the said U shaped structure, a second joint member on the bow of the pusher ship, cooperating with the said first joint member upon nesting of the bow of the pusher ship into the U shaped structure of the stern of the pushed vessel so as to link said ship and vessel together; resilient clamping members on the said U shaped structure of the pushed vessel and arranged to cooperate with the bow of the pusher ship for firmly clamping together the said nesting parts of the pusher ship and pushed vessel, elastic fluid tight sleeves interposed between said first and second joint members, a fluid in said sleeves, and means connected to said sleeves for the recovery of the energy transmitted to said fluid by the compression of said sleeves.

12. A combined ship structure according to claim 11, in which said fluid is a compressible fluid.

13. A combined ship structure according to claim 11, in which said energy storing and recovering means comprise a compressed fluid reservoir.

14. A combined ship structure according to claim 8, in which said reservoir is in heat exchange relation with a suitable heat exchanger.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,375,139 5/1945 Schmitt et a1. 1l477 3,035,536 5/1962 Archer l1477 3,345,970 10/1967 DeLong 1l4-235 3,362,372 1/1968 Peterson 114-235 TRYGVE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner 

